Hazel Harrison facts for kids
Hazel Harrison (born May 12, 1883 – died April 29, 1969) was an amazing American concert pianist. She made history as the first musician trained entirely in America to perform with a European orchestra.
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Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Hazel Harrison was born in La Porte, Indiana. She spent most of her childhood learning at home. Later, she went to La Porte High School and graduated. Hazel started playing the piano when she was just four or five years old. Her first teacher was Richard Warren Pellow, an English organist. He also taught music in local schools. When she was in high school, she began studying with Victor Heinze, a German musician. She even traveled between La Porte and Chicago to continue her lessons with him.
Becoming a Star in Europe
Hazel Harrison spent a lot of time in Berlin, Germany. There, she gave many piano concerts. She also performed with the famous Berlin Philharmonic orchestra. In 1904, she made her debut with them. This was a huge moment! She became the first Black woman, and probably the first Black musician, to play as a solo artist with the Berlin Philharmonic. For her debut, she played challenging pieces by Chopin and Edvard Grieg.
Returning to the United States
After her success in Europe, Hazel Harrison came back to the United States. While performing in Chicago, she received help to travel back to Europe. For several years, she continued her piano studies with Hugo van Dalen in Berlin. Van Dalen helped her get an audition with the famous Italian composer and pianist, Ferruccio Busoni. Busoni usually didn't take new students. But after hearing Hazel play, he was so impressed that he agreed to teach her!
After this, Hazel became a busy concert pianist. She performed in both Europe and the U.S. Even though she was praised a lot in Black newspapers, she didn't get as much recognition in the U.S. as she did in Europe.
A Career in Teaching Music
In 1931, Hazel Harrison took a job as the head of the piano department. This was at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. Later, in 1936, she moved to Washington, D.C.. She accepted a teaching position at Howard University. She taught there until she retired in 1955. Even while teaching, Hazel continued to perform concerts across the United States. After retiring, she still loved music and teaching. She took on new roles at Alabama A&M University and Jackson College.
